The present invention relates to an automatic pump system, typically used to supply pressurized irrigation fluid to a surgical site, and a method therefor.
In many instances, a physician and other health professional (sometimes referred to herein as an xe2x80x9coperatorxe2x80x9d) utilizes irrigation fluid to cleanse and wash a wound at a surgical site. This irrigation fluid (sometimes generally referred to herein as xe2x80x9cfluidxe2x80x9d) is specially prepared for this medical procedure. In many instances, the fluid is retained at a fluid source which, in most situations, is a sterile bag containing irrigation fluid. Sterilized water is typically used in such medical procedures.
The physician or operator controls the flow of irrigation fluid by a simple valve control or valve unit at or near the surgical site. In some instances, this valve unit includes a second valve which controls suction such that the physician or operator can remove irrigation fluid, debris and other bodily fluids from the surgical site by activating the second valve in the valving unit and drawing the spent irrigation fluid from the surgical site with a vacuum or suction line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,313 to Delk et al. discloses a battery powered surgical irrigator system. In this prior art system, an electrical switch is mounted immediately adjacent the valve unit which controls the flow of irrigation fluid. The valve unit includes an irrigation fluid valve and a suction valve. In order to turn ON and OFF the pump supplying pressurized irrigation fluid, the operator depresses an electrical control switch mounted on the valving unit. The pump is located beneath the bag holding the supply of irrigation fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,402 to Saravia et al. discloses a surgical suction irrigator. In this system, the irrigation and suction valve control also enclose and include an electrical switch. The pump which supplies pressurized fluid to the valve unit, is mounted beneath the bag of irrigation fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,668 to Arnett et al. discloses an irrigation hand piece with a built in pulsating pump. This system utilizes a hand piece which includes a pump, a battery power supply for the pulsating pump motor and an electrical switch all mounted in the suction and irrigation valve unit.
Some battery powered irrigation pump systems, used in surgical suites, turn ON and OFF the pump based upon a floating poppet. The floating poppet is disposed at the output of the pump. The floating poppet drops downward in its vertically oriented chamber and a Hall effect sensor determines this shift in the poppet""s position and turns ON the pump. When the poppet rises due to the closure of a valve control downstream of the battery operated pump, the Hall effect sensor changes state and turns OFF the pump.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic pump system which eliminates the need for a manual or operator actuated switch to turn ON and OFF the pump supplying a pressurized supply of surgical fluid to the surgical site.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatically controlled pump wherein the pump control monitors fluid flow at the input or the output of the pump thereby ensuring a pressurized supply of surgical fluid to the surgical field via a remotely disposed valving unit.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a disposable automatic pump system for a surgical suite.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically controlling an irrigation supply pump wherein fluid flow is monitored at the pump output and, based upon fluid flow above a system minimal flow, a negative buoyancy poppet leaves a xe2x80x9cleakyxe2x80x9d valve seat, moves into a large flow segment of a valve chamber pressure and turns ON the motor and the pump due to a changed state of a position sensor (preferably, an optical sensor) and the application of battery power to the motor driving the pump.
The automatically controlled pump supplies pressurized irrigation fluid via an output line to a surgical site. The pump is coupled to a fluid source via an input line. The pump system includes a motor, a motor housing, a pump disposed within a pump housing and fluid input and fluid output ports defined by the pump housing. The pump has a rotatably disposed impeller coupled to the motor. The input and output lines are respectively coupled to the fluid input and output ports. The motor is powered by at least one battery and preferably a plurality of batteries. A switch turns ON and OFF the motor and is controlled by fluid flow above a system minimal flow. The system operates in conjunction with a manual flow control valve (a fluid control valving system) actuated by an operator downstream of the battery powered pump. The fluid flow sensor is typically mounted downstream of the pump output. Fluid flow is monitored at the pump output and, based upon fluid flow above a system minimal flow, a negative buoyancy poppet leaves a xe2x80x9cleakyxe2x80x9d valve seat, moves into a large flow segment of a valve chamber pressure and turns ON the motor and the pump due to a changed state of a position sensor (preferably, an optical sensor) and the application of battery power to the motor driving the pump. The method of automatically controlling a pump includes providing a battery powered motor mechanically coupled to the pump, the step of monitoring fluid flow above a system minimal flow and turning ON and OFF the motor based upon fluid flow above the system minimum.